Tooth decay in children – cavities are contagious too

Tooth decay in children is a major problem. Unfortunately, most adults don’t realise that cavities are contagious. You must stop sharing spoonfuls of bacteria with your little ones, if you want to help them avoid a lifetime of dental pain.

Over time, a hole or cavity will emerge. Left untreated, this travels deeper into the tooth and causes pain.

Children’s teeth are softer than adults, so their protective enamel layer isn’t as strong – making them more vulnerable to dental caries.

Decay can be stopped in its tracks or cured, if you seek treatment in time.

Tooth decay in children is a serious concern:

“Tooth decay can have a detrimental effect on a child’s quality of life, performance in school and success in life. The disease can cause pain, inability to chew food well, embarrassment about discolored or damaged teeth, and distraction from play and learning.”Science Daily

Baby and toddler tooth decay doesn’t seem too ominous at first glance, since these teeth will eventually be replaced by adult teeth.

However, it can cause pain and discomfort when chewing or swallowing.

On top of this, slightly older children may feel embarrassed about having discoloured teeth at school, even if they know the “tooth fairy” will soon be on its way.

But these immediate repercussions pale in comparison to the impact that tooth decay could have on your child’s overall health.

What do I mean by this?

There’s a strong link between oral problems and poor general health, no matter our age.

Dental cavities might contribute to a lifetime of health problems for your child.

Scientists don’t know for certain what drives this link, but they believe it comes down to oral bacteria entering the bloodstream through vessels in the mouth. This boosts inflammation in the body, which is a major problem behind many systemic diseases.

No parent or guardian wants this for their child, or themselves.

Cavities are contagious too

“When Rachel Sarah took her daughter in for her first dental checkup a few years ago, she got a surprise. Not only did her 24-month-old have two cavities in her baby teeth, the pediatric dentist suggested she might have “caught” them from her mom. “The dentist handed me this piece of paper that talked about saliva transfer,” said Sarah, a 37-year-old writer from San Francisco. “It said not to share cups or utensils or food and said, ‘No kissing your kid on the lips.’ I was shocked; I’d been taking a bite of food and then giving her a bite since she started eating. I told the dentist I’d never heard of this and he said these were new findings.”NBC News

No doubt you’re familiar with the phrase “sharing is caring”.

It doesn’t apply when you have tooth decay, which is a contagious infection.

As with the flu, you can easily pass on dental caries to your children (and other people). This occurs when people with active tooth decay participate in activities that transmit their saliva.

For example, some new mothers use their own mouths as a temporary placeholder for their baby’s pacifier, while their hands are otherwise occupied. It’s also common for adults to test the temperature of a child’s food, by tasting it first.

Other risky actions include:

Sharing food or drink

Cooling down food by blowing on it

Babies or toddlers putting their fingers in your mouth

Kissing your baby on the mouth

Using the same toothbrush

Sharing utensils

This behaviour spreads decay-causing bacteria from one person to another.

And it seems the higher the presence of S. mutans bacteria in your saliva, the higher the chance of transmission.

The Australian Dental Journal cites a study where mothers with more than 106 organisms of s.mutans per millilitre of saliva have a greater than 50 per cent chance of passing on the bacteria to their baby. This is 20 per cent higher than mothers with only 103 organisms per millilitre.

How to prevent contagious tooth decay in children:

The preventive solutions make sense when you know the risks of transmitting dental caries.

To avoid spreading tooth decay:

Don’t share food, cups, toothbrushes or utensils

Keep baby’s pacifier away from your mouth and clean it in the sink when dirty

Cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough

Don’t blow on food to cool it down

Don’t peck your baby on the mouth

Don’t let other children or animals share saliva with your young child

It’s also important to gently wipe your baby or toddler’s mouth with a clean and soft wet cloth, multiple times a day. Cleaning the tongue, cheeks and teeth dissuades colonies of bacteria from sticking around.

“When you look at a lab test, yes, there’s transfer of bacteria, but in real life, you’re not going to be able prevent that. You can’t live in a bubble.”Dr. Stephanie Su, NBC News

Even the most diligent of parents may slip up sometimes and share a mouthful with their child. It’s difficult to stay on track all of the time, so this is bound to happen every now and then. This is another reason why you must take care of your own oral health, so you have no active cavities to spread!

Having said this, many parents have no problems when feeding their babies milk at night.

To minimise the risk:

Gently wipe their teeth with a wet and clean cloth after the session

End the milk feed with a few sips of water from a separate bottle

Asthma inhalers or puffers

Inhalers and puffers play a vital role in helping children to manage their asthma, but problems may arise if oral hygiene is neglected.

Some puffers contain acidic powder, which weakens tooth enamel, leading to cavities over time.

To combat this, make sure your child cleans their teeth twice a day with toothpaste (do it for them if they’re too young).

They need to wait at least thirty minutes to an hour after using their puffer before brushing, to avoid scratching the acid into their teeth.

Certain medications

Some medications contain hidden sugar, but most people don’t check the label or ask for a sugar-free alternative (if one is available).

Your child can rinse their mouth with water after taking medicine that contains sugar.

Certain medications also reduce the amount of saliva that children produce. This can be a problem if it’s a long-term prescription, since saliva acts as a guard against bacteria.

Apples, chewy vegetables, citrus fruits and hard cheeses are some foods that help to increase saliva production. Make sure your child rinses their mouth with water after eating acidic foods, to restore pH balance.

Chewing on sugar-free gum is another tip for older children who need to produce more saliva.

Molar hypomineralisation in children

One in six Australian children suffer from this painful developmental condition that causes “chalky teeth” to emerge around the age of six. These teeth lack healthy enamel and rot easily.

Make an appointment with your dentist if you see any of these signs:

Bright white spots or light brown spots on teeth

Creamy, yellow or brown patches

Pain or sensitivity when eating

Toothaches after brushing

Signs of tooth decay in children, toddlers and babies:

“You can easily check the state of your child’s teeth by lifting their top and bottom lips and checking for white patches, which are the early warning signs for decay, and can be reversed. Grey, brown or black spots indicate more serious decay; in either case, book an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible.”Australian Dental Association

It’s easy to miss the signs of baby or toddler tooth decay, which develops over time.

How often should children visit the dentist?

Early forms of tooth decay in children can be prevented or reversed, if you get to your dentist in time.

The government understands how critical this is, which is why eligible families can receive up to $1000 to cover private or public dental services for their offspring over a two year period.

This applies to children aged between two and 17.

What about baby’s first dental visit?

Parents often ask me when this should be. My advice is to book an appointment when their first tooth starts to emerge, or after 12 months. Don’t hesitate to bring your child in sooner, if you’re worried, since early signs of tooth decay can be treated if caught in time!

Mona Vale Dental can take care of your child’s teeth

Our staff are experienced at detecting and treating tooth decay in babies, toddlers and children. We make sure that kids of all ages feel comfortable and safe at our clinic!

Early intervention is the key to recovery, so please contact us on (02) 9997 1100 if you have any concerns.